Living in a shared building means that there will be times when what you do in your house will affect your neighbour, just as your neighbour’s action can affect you. At various points in our lives, we all have had loud neighbours that make simple tasks like sleeping almost impossible. Sometimes, these neighbours make life unbearable with their racket and suck out the fun out of daily living. Noise seems to be part of urban living, it is, however, the major cause of disputes among neighbours.
Here are steps to dealing with noisy neighbours:
Take a deep breath: If you find yourself in a situation where your neighbour is blasting his speakers either at early hours of the day or at an inappropriate time, take a deep breath to calm yourselves before reacting. This is because actions taken in the moments of extreme emotions are usually later regretted. Take a walk or a shower, anything to draw yourself out of the raging emotions you are feeling.
Have a conservation with your neighbour: Now that you have taken time out to cool off, try talking with your neighbour. Dialogue is the starting point and unifying force for all human relations. Don’t try to be aggressive while explaining to him/her the problem with their action because your neighbour may not even realize how disturbing their actions are. Be careful not to disrespect them so that both of you can come up with creative ways of dealing with it.
Be creative: After discussing with your neighbour and the problem still persists, rather than going back and forth with them, find creative ways to block out the noise. Invest in a pair of headsets, noise-canceling headphones, etc. Take a stroll, visit friends during loud periods, anything to be productive and less affected by the noise.
Make a written request to your neighbour: If after you have complained, and have tried in avoiding the noise with creative ways, and there is no breakthrough. Well this time, you may need to compile a log with enough details of the noise problem including dates and time of the actions. Prepare a written request, not necessarily formal and attach the documented report to your neighbour. Writing a letter indicates your seriousness and allows you to have a valid evidence if you need to complain to authorities.
Report to relevant authorities: When all efforts seem unyielding, it is best to report to appropriate authorities. If you live in a rented apartment, alerting your landlord may be the best option. Get the local council involved if you live in separate apartments. While this may bring intense tension, it would prevent further confrontation. The Association in your locality can propose a mediation process that could stop the issue from resulting into complications.
If these fail to work, you may need to start thinking of relocating or pray to God that your neighbours move.
